Background:

OSCE field operations are the front line of the OSCE’s engagement on the ground, supporting host authorities in fulfilling OSCE commitments and implementing a comprehensive approach to security. The OSCE Mission to Skopje is the Organization's longest-serving field operation working on social cohesion, fundamental rights, gender equality, the rule of law, good governance, integrity and anticorruption, criminal justice and police reform.

The Fund Administration Unit comprises four Sections: Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and General Services. The Procurement Unit is part of the General Services and is responsible for the procurement of all goods and services for the Mission to Skopje.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Procurement Assistant, and general guidance from the General Services Officer, the Travel and Contracting Assistant will provide support to the day-to day travel arranging and contracting operations, monitoring the implementation of local window contracts and managing their performance. More specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for:

1. Organizing official travel for Mission Members, by ensuring adherence to the OSCE travel policies and procedures for requests for official travel, approving travel claims and raising all travel-related purchase orders in ORACLE; liaising with the OSCE travel agency on flight bookings, checking fares and booking flight tickets, responding to changes in Mission Members' travel plans and ensuring they are correctly documented;
2. Following developments in the travel industry, suggesting ways of improvement in internal travel/expense management and of increasing policy compliance; attending meetings with the OSCE travel agency, and providing feedback on the travel agency’s compliance with the corporate window contract;
3. Ensuring adherence to the OSCE Mission to Skopje Local Window Contracts, raising all purchase orders in ORACLE as appropriate and obtaining countersignatures for them;
4. Collecting feedback on supplier performance for Local Window Contracts and proposing appropriate action to the Senior Procurement Assistant; coordinating with Suppliers of Local Window Contracts to resolve issues and overseeing improvements; keeping track of Local Window Contract expiry dates, preparing lessons learned from the existing contract for new tender and providing input into contract management tools within Local Window Contracts;
5. Procuring simple goods and services within the Low Value Procurement category up to EUR 5,000; assisting other team members with higher value tenders;
6. Arranging Bid Opening Boards for high value procurements acting as chairperson making all logistical and filing requirements; ensuring proper documentation of Local Window Contracts and travel requests; providing other secretarial services within the Procurement Unit.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Citizenship of or permanent residence in the Republic of North Macedonia;
• Completed secondary education, supplemented by specialized training in travel and/or contract management;
• A minimum of four (4) years of working experience in travel or contract management, preferably in international setting;
• Good organizational skills, attention to detail and customer-service orientation;
• Computer literate with practical experience in Microsoft applications; experience with ORACLE would be considered an asset;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and in local languages;
• Ability to work with people of different nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions, is approximately EUR 1,494.

Social benefits will include participation in the Cigna medical insurance and the OSCE Provident Fund.

Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. At the discretion of the appointing authority, a higher step may be approved up to a maximum of step 3, subject to specific conditions.

If you wish to apply, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

Please note that applications received after the deadline, submitted in different formats than the OSCE Online Application Form, or in other languages than the English language would not be considered.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, or offer the position with modified terms of reference or a different duration.

Candidates interviewed and found suitable in the recruitment process for this vacancy notice will be placed on a roster of suitable candidates (valid for three years) for fixed-term posts, should a suitable opportunity arise.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds.

The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

The mandatory retirement age at the OSCE is 65 years for contracted positions at the general service, professional, and director level. The Organization shall apply an age limit of 63 years at the time of appointment.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.